In Her Words

A Thanksgiving message of love and gratitude from Jess. 

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

In this episode of In Her Words, Jess explores the deep, sometimes misunderstood concept of bearing witness—what it means, why it matters, and how it sits at the very heart of memoir. She explains that witnessing is more than simply remembering; it’s the act of honoring your own experience, holding space for your truth, and affirming that what you lived through matters and is worth telling.

Jess breaks down five reasons bearing witness is essential for memoir writers:

1. It reveals what your story is really about—how you felt and what it meant.
2. It restores your dignity and integrity by reminding you that you are more than what happened to you.
3. It helps you navigate emotional landmines with clarity and care.
4. It creates the intimacy readers crave and connects them to your emotional world.
5. It transforms your story into a gift rather than a confession—turning pain into meaningful purpose.

Jess also shares practical prompts to help writers cultivate witnessing in their writing process, offering gentle guidance on how to honor your story without becoming overwhelmed by it.

Ultimately, this episode reminds us that memoir is not just writing—it’s connection, courage, and healing, for both author and reader.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

This week Jess dives into one of the most personal questions for any writer: Am I ready to share my story? Tune in and explore how to know when you’re truly ready to share your experience and the lessons you've learned. Jess unpacks the difference between speaking from an unhealed wound and sharing from a scar—and why the most powerful stories come when you’re writing to serve, not to seek. This episode includes writing prompts and exercises to help you determine if you're ready to share your story or still healing from it.

Referenced in the episode: In the Rough with Angie

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

Jess sits down with Jackie Pflug, author of Wake Up! It's Time to Say Yes to a Life Worth Loving. Join us for an inspiring conversation about breaking free from autopilot and consciously choosing joy. Jackie shares how to recognize when parts of your life aren’t working—and what it takes to release what’s holding you back so you can fully say yes to life.

The episode also explores the benefits of working with Soul Speak Press, from maintaining creative control and ownership of your book rights to having an authentic voice in every step of the publishing process.

Jackie Pflug is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and survivor of the 1985 EgyptAir hijacking—an event that left her shot at point-blank range and left for dead. While that moment changed everything, her greatest transformation came years later as she reckoned with what it means to create a life built on authentic joy.

Today, Jackie brings her story to intimate stages across the country—from women’s circles and bookstores to podcasts—inviting people into honest conversations about growth, healing, and reclaiming joy. With a rare blend of humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom, she shares insights on navigating change, listening to your inner voice, and finding your way home to yourself.

Jackie has been featured in People, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Times of Malta, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Larry King Live. Her story is unforgettable—and her message is universal.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

Today is launch day! In this emotional episode, Jess shares lessons in surviving survival, turning pain into purpose, and using trauma as an invitation to think about how we want to live.

How to Survive Survival:A Guide to Turning Life's Hardest Moments into Meaningful Contribution for the World is available now. For one day only the ebook can be purchased for $0.99 and we only ask that you please leave a review.

About How to Survive Survival

In How to Survive Survival, kidnapping survivor and New York Times bestselling author Jessica Buchanan asks the deeper question that comes after trauma, loss, and heartbreak: Now what? Through raw honesty, soulful reflection, and powerful storytelling, Jessica shares her own journey of rebuilding a life after surviving the unthinkable-and introduces readers to others who have turned their deepest wounds into a force for good.

From survivors of violence, grief, addiction, and betrayal to warriors of chronic illness, military loss, and injustice, How to Survive Survival highlights the resilient, everyday people who have chosen purpose over paralysis and contribution over collapse.

Guided by Jessica's RISE Framework (Reckon with the Pain, Identify the Impact, Seek the Meaning, Embody the Purpose) this book isn't about moving on. It's about moving through-and emerging with something meaningful to offer the world.

Whether you're in the aftermath of something life-altering or standing beside someone who is, How to Survive Survival will meet you in the messy middle and walk with you toward hope, purpose, and a life rebuilt on truth.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

This week Jess sits down with Gillian Lichota, author and founder of the iRise Above Foundation, to explore the power of writing as a healing process. Together, they discuss the practice of sacred truthtelling—how sharing one’s story can transform pain into purpose—and invite listeners to join a collective conversation about breast cancer, honoring the experiences of both patients and caregivers. 

Gillian's new book is available tomorrow, October 23rd.

RISING ABOVE: Our Transformational Journey to Wholeness After Breast Cancer  is a sacred gathering of voices from young women who faced breast cancer at a time when life was just beginning to unfold-when they were falling in love, building careers, becoming mothers, and discovering their truths. The diagnosis didn't wait. It struck early, shattering timelines and rewriting dreams. But within that breaking open, something deeper awakened.

This anthology arises from that awakening.

About iRise Above: Founded by Gillian Lichota in 2017 following her own experience as a young, pregnant woman with breast cancer, the foundation empowers young women to seize control of their well-being during and after treatments and surgeries, with targeted, age-appropriate and integrative resources. Through wellness programs, webinars, retreats, and adventure trips designed by wellness and medical experts, these women are equipped with the latest research to improve their health through nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness practices. They are inspired to see their journey as a transformational one.

Most importantly, iRise connects young women with breast cancer to a community of like-minded thrivers with the same goals: the desire to live full, vibrant lives aligned with their passion and purpose, and to move the needle on their prognoses.

Connect with Gillian on Instagram or Facebook

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

Memoir isn’t your whole life story — it’s the story about something. That “something” is your theme, and it’s what transforms a personal collection of memories into a powerful, cohesive narrative.

In this episode, Jess walks listeners through the process of uncovering the deeper meaning behind their stories. Without a clear theme, memoirs can feel like rambling diaries. With one, they gain emotional focus, resonance, and purpose — both for the reader and the writer.

Jess reminds us: It’s not about what happened, but how you feel about what happened, and what you’ve learned from it.

Mentions & Opportunities:

• Brave the Page: How Writing Our Hard Stories Brings Healing and Wholeness by Megan Febuary
• Rising Above: Our Journey to Wholeness after Breast Cancer by Gillian Lichota and other authors — available October 23. Support these incredible women by buying the ebook for just $0.99 and gifting the paperback to a friend. 
• Jess’s new book How to Survive Survival: A Guide to Turning Life’s Hardest Moments into Meaningful Contribution launches October 29. Want a free PDF now? Just promise to buy the $0.99 ebook on launch day and leave a 5-star review! 
• Submissions are open for the next anthology project, I’m Still Here, beginning May 2026, with publication in January 2027. 
• Join Jess in Piemonte, Italy for a 5-day international writing retreat in September 2026 — including daily writing instruction, feedback sessions, and unforgettable excursions.

Finally, if this episode helped you, please take a moment to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps this work reach those who need it most.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

This week Jess answers the following questions about the future of memoir:

1. Why do you think readers are hungrier than ever for real, true stories?

2. What makes memoir different from autobiography?

3. Why do memoirs resonate with us right now?

4. Why do people want to read stories about vulnerability and trauma?

5. How is the memoir format changing?

6. What should aspiring memoirists know about publishing today?

7. How should a writer choose her publishing path?

8. What are the ethics of writing a memoir when others are involved in your story?

9. How can writers protect themselves when writing about trauma?

Your story matters and Soul Speak Press is here to support you on your memoir writing journey!

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

In this episode, Jess unpacks some of the clearest signs that it may be time to bring a professional set of eyes to your manuscript. Writing a book can feel isolating, overwhelming, and sometimes frustrating—and knowing when to get help can make all the difference.

Jess explores three telltale indicators:

1. Your story feels stuck or directionless. A developmental editor can provide structure, identify missing threads, and suggest arcs to keep the narrative flowing.
2. You’re receiving confusing or contradictory feedback. This often signals that your themes and lessons aren’t landing. A professional editor can synthesize feedback, clarify recurring themes, and give you a roadmap for revisions.
3. You’re too close to the work. When you can’t read your manuscript one more time without getting lost in it, an outside perspective can reveal blind spots and bring clarity.

To close, Jess offers a reflective journal prompt: If you’re working on something right now, ask yourself—“Am I too close to this?”

This episode is both practical and encouraging, helping writers recognize when support can move their book forward.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.

This week Jess shares some hard truths about traditional publishing. Only about 300 memoir deals are made each year in traditional publishing. Many go to celebrities with built-in audiences, or authors whose stories have a strong cultural hook or tie to current events. Publishers want more than just your story—they need a clear angle that will sell. If you’re aiming to land a deal, here are five key things to keep in mind:

1. Grow your audience. Publishers want to see that you already have a community of readers who are eager for your book.
2. Your story must serve the reader. Editors look for more than just a personal narrative—they want a book that connects to the reader’s own journey.
3. Think in categories. Position your story beyond your life experience. Can your memoir also function as self-help, leadership, or cultural commentary?
4. Get professional polish. A well-edited, submission-ready manuscript shows publishers you’re serious.
5. Prepare for rejection. Even strong proposals face many no’s before they get a yes.

But here’s the good news: your story matters. And you don’t need to wait for permission to share it.

If you’re tired of sitting on the sidelines while waiting for the industry gatekeepers, come talk to us at Soul Speak Press. We’re here to help you bring your book into the world.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.